Democratic Insider Picked For Water Authority Post

Buffalo, N.Y. - Jerry Schad has been appointed chairman to the Erie County Water Authority.

Betty Jean Grant, Chair of the Erie County Legislature appointed Schad to fill the vacancy until April of 2016.

On Monday afternoon, members of the Erie County Legislature spent two hours interviewing 13 different candidates for one of the plum political positions in Western New York - one of the three commissioners at the Erie County Water Authority.

There was no shortage of quality candidates, from a former Water Authority supervisor, to engineers and lawyers and the former Supervisor of Amherst.

Schad is an attorney for the Democrats in the legislature, he's the Amherst Democratic Chairman, a big Democratic donor and he's close with County Democratic Party Chairman Jeremy Zellner who's calling the shots here.

A couple of the candidates who interviewed on Monday came right out and said they knew they didn't stand a chance of getting the appointment, like Patty Wolfsohn who's applied before for the job of commissioner.

Patty Wolfsohn: "Obviously I'm coming in again knowing it ain't going to happen and I'm sticking to my guns because I think it's time that normal everyday joes get into these types of positions and that you do it on merit and not necessarily on patronage."

Another candidate, Joe Weiss called the interview process a charade.

Scott Brown: "You called this a charade, how come?"

Joe Weiss: "It's always been a political deal and it's one side or the other gets to pick somebody to serve on this thing that's politically connected."

Schad's appointment should become official at Thursday's legislature meeting even though the legislature's chairwoman was playing things coy on Monday.

On Monday, 2 On Your Side's Scott Brown asked Grant if Schad would get the appointment.

Scott Brown:"The talk in political circles is that Jerry Schad is going to get this position,is that the case?"

Chairwoman Betty Jean Grant:"I have no idea we have not discussed it, we just interviewed him maybe five minutes ago so I don't know who's going to get it."